Tube Screamer v MXR Badass dist.

Hammeron

Hi lads.

Looking at getting an analogue pedal to go in front of my Vox Wah into the JCM 900.

Do I go with the Ibanez TS9DX Tube Screamer or the MXR '78 Badass distortion?

As you know I am into Hard Rock and Metal. I like it fast and Thrashy but I also love melodic cleans ala Celtic Folk Rock.

What do you reckon?

MikeM

That's a really tough decision to make Tamla. I'd really recommend saving your cash for a bit and playing as many pedals as you can get your hands on (I know that is very few) and finding out what YOU like. There are thousands of pedals out there and each cater to a different designer's taste. What works for me, might not work for you.

Jayhell

Also that is two completely different pedals. I agree with MikeM, try a lot of pedals and see what suits you.

chrisbark

IMO the TS is not exactly "metal", it's more of a classic rock/hard rock/blues sound. No idea about the badass tho.
Of course you should play with lots of pedals and see what you like, but I suggest ... wait for it ... a METAL ZONE ??? High gain, plenty of EQ options, and goes well with the JCM.
It catches a bad rep from people who don't like pointy guitars ... but I wouldn't take advice about metal tones from those guys ?

Oh one last thing ... resist the temptation to scoop out all the mids.

MikeM

In fact Chris, the TS is used quite regularly for brütals. Boosts the mids, cuts the bass, keps the tone tight - but there are loads of factors involved.

Hammeron

Ok. I have a Boss Heavy Metal HM2. It sounds cool but it makes the Wah sound flat and unresponsive.
{However, the Zoom 505II has a great distortion preset which makes the Wah cry.
But this setting creates an unearthly hum. I am also wanting to get away from the digital and use the Zoom as a tuner only}

MikeM

Have you tried the wah into the dist? You should always put wahs in front ?

chrisbark

MikeM wrote: In fact Chris, the TS is used quite regularly for brütals. Boosts the mids, cuts the bass, keps the tone tight - but there are loads of factors involved.

I suppose its just one of those common misconceptions ... I just associate TS with the classic rock or blues sound ?

MikeM

Yup, I was also shocked when I first heard about it, even moreso when I tried it. Obviously you have to put it in front of the hi-gain pedals/amp but still sounds pretty cool!!!

Seems I'm slightly spammy today ?

AlanRatcliffe

MikeM wrote: I'd really recommend saving your cash for a bit and playing as many pedals as you can get your hands on (I know that is very few) and finding out what YOU like.

+1. First thing to figure out is whether overdrive or distortion is the path to the tones you hear in your head.

guidothepimmp

Pffff

Just get a metalzone man

studmissile

For thrash you really should look at the MetalZone, I'd be surprised if you didn't have one already? But I do like that MXR, it’s definitely got that late 70’s early 80’s metal/punk drive/distortion!

If it's GAS related to the GFSA classifieds I 'd go for MXR Custom Badass '78 Distortion. Why? Cause it's badass and I have a general dislike for pedals with more that 3 knobs!

Eldred

Ok since they are my pedals this is what I advised her..

The badass distorion gives you a vintage Mega stack sound that you can take from easy fat OD to really crunchy dist. When you activate the crunch button you get nice singing harmonics on excessive OD or dist. Its an awesome pedal and versatile.
The TS. The TS9DX has a hi, mid and low boost option. The bad thing about electric is that most instruments fall in the mid range frequency category meaning that you tend to fade away when the other instruments come in. So instead of banging your vol up to 11, just fiddle with the hi, mid or low to help you stand out a bit more.
My advice was that you can use the TS to boost the badass to where you want...either hi, mids, or low and get a crazy smooth heavy OD or dist sound that will elevate you above the band.
Also with a JCM you can preamp boost the JCM channels to really nice sharp edgy dist. Alternately you can turn down the level and disable the crunch button and get into smooth melodic work easily. I must say these two pedals combine really well for hi gain stuff. The badass with sharp cutting dist and the TS for darker ambient dist sounds especially with humbuckers...

Remember you want a signature sound...something distinct so play around.

But switching from digital to analogue is a must with a quality amp like a JCM 900..

Hammeron

Eldred wrote: Ok since they are my pedals this is what I advised her..

The badass distorion gives you a vintage Mega stack sound that you can take from easy fat OD to really crunchy dist. When you activate the crunch button you get nice singing harmonics on excessive OD or dist. Its an awesome pedal and versatile.
The TS. The TS9DX has a hi, mid and low boost option. The bad thing about electric is that most instruments fall in the mid range frequency category meaning that you tend to fade away when the other instruments come in. So instead of banging your vol up to 11, just fiddle with the hi, mid or low to help you stand out a bit more.
My advice was that you can use the TS to boost the badass to where you want...either hi, mids, or low and get a crazy smooth heavy OD or dist sound that will elevate you above the band.
Also with a JCM you can preamp boost the JCM channels to really nice sharp edgy dist. Alternately you can turn down the level and disable the crunch button and get into smooth melodic work easily. I must say these two pedals combine really well for hi gain stuff. The badass with sharp cutting dist and the TS for darker ambient dist sounds especially with humbuckers...

Remember you want a signature sound...something distinct so play around.

But switching from digital to analogue is a must with a quality amp like a JCM 900..

Hey eldred! Don't mean to by-pass you, I will take one of these pedals from you, that's a promise.

Now. Just want to make one correction on what I said earlier, The Vox Wah is first in line.
So I had - Guitar > Wah > Boss HM2 > Zoom 505II
Now I have - Guitar > Wah > Zoom 505II > Boss HM2 - Now this sounds way better with the HM2 enhancing the Zoom
I am not in a position to take both the TS and the MXR. So do we go TS into HM2 or just MXR ?

Eldred

Lol no worries...

I just want you to be happy with your choice and make the best choice at that. Don't you have access to both pedals at a music store close to you? Maybe go try them out. Make sure you are comfortable with your choice..

Hammeron

Eldred wrote: Lol no worries...

I just want you to be happy with your choice and make the best choice at that. Don't you have access to both pedals at a music store close to you? Maybe go try them out. Make sure you are comfortable with your choice..

Easier said than done I'm afraid, nearest shop that would stock these pedals is 500 k's away! {One of the reasons why I 'lean' on the forumites so much! ?}

MikeM

Actually. Tamla, both are pretty decent deals. The cost of fuel to a music store would be more than you'd lose if you bought and resold a pedal (assuming you didn't dig it).

Hammeron

MikeM wrote: Actually. Tamla, both are pretty decent deals. The cost of fuel to a music store would be more than you'd lose if you bought and resold a pedal (assuming you didn't dig it).

Exactly.

I can only take one of the 2.
I either take the TS and use it to boost the HM2 in the same fashion that Eldred talks of using it to boost the MXR Badass or......
I take the Badass.
Either way I think I am going to be 'Stepping up', so to speak.
And, who knows, maybe the mix of TS and HM2 could be pretty unique.

Eldred

Mike has a very good point.

If I had to choose maybe for now go with the TS. Reason being you have the hi mid and low settings you can adjust as well as the option of boosting or using it on its own. You can add the badass later... Its the more versatile of the two..

Also got a sneaky suspicion you will get more wah response from the TS.. And a TS is the backbone of most guitarists' arsenal..

funkadelic

Hi. Having gone through hell and back with pedals I have discovered the amp has a BIG influence on how the pedal will react. Also not all pedals works well with other pedals. My advice is to try it out with your amp and current setup if you can. Having said that I'm not a metal player. I prefer edge of breakup to liquid Carlos Santana/Gary Moore style tones. Not too much gain but a lot of sustain.

Apparently the MXR Badass is similar to the Vox satchurator (which I use) but not so thin so that should give you a lot more gain than an overdrive pedal such as TS9. But then it depends on whether the TS9 is used as a gain or volume boost. My two cents...